Eight Days A Week
by Cookies94
Summary: They met on a Tuesday. They shared a kissed on a Saturday. They got married on a Thursday. A collection of moments in Alice and Frank's life in accordance to the days of the week. Updating daily.
1. Tuesday

They met on a Tuesday.

Growing up, Pureblood children whose family stuck to the traditional ways were taught to speak at least one other language besides English, to do several popular ballroom dances, and play at least one instrument. All of these talents were taught to help round a child and help them become a contributing person of society. If one could not play an instrument or speak a foreign language or even do the foxtrot then they were not deemed to be of worth, and in Pureblood society worth was everything.

It had become a standard, then, to form an orchestra of sorts for Pureblood children so they could not only learn several instruments, but also get use out of it, to have a constant exposure to their instrument of choice without having to be forced to practice at home, or bother the parent. Being of the same age group, Frank and Alice were, as it would follow, placed within the same orchestral group.

He was sixteen, having just taken his O.W.L.s and preparing for his future, thinking about what he'd be doing and the pressure his parents were putting on him to succeed and make something of the Longbottom name. She was fourteen, still enjoying her youth with nary a care for the future, O.W.L.s were still only an idea to her, she was still in awe of Hogsmeade.

She played the cello, he played the flute.

During the summers, for the orchestral group only met during the summers now that the members were of Hogwarts age, met from ten in the morning until noon, when the teenagers would then go home to have lunch. It was on a Tuesday at eleven fifteen when Derrick Burke, the conductor, was leading the cellists through a solo that Frank Longbottom, sitting with oboist and best mate, Trespassers Macmillan, let his eyes wander as they muttered about their plans for the evening.

Alternatively, Alice Fawley who was currently involved in said cello solo had long since paid attention to Derrick Burke, caring not for this version of classical music, was staring at the clarinet section where the self-proclaimed love of her life sat, starring attentively at Derrick Burke as though it was he that was currently playing the solo. Alice had, for the last few minutes, been trying to will him to glance her way to no avail.

It was by complete happenstance then, that Frank and Alice's eyes met and the two shared an exchange.

Giving her eyes a moment of rest Alice had shifted momentarily towards the flutist, as was the practical movement when one had been bearing a hole in the clarinet section, and at just this moment Frank's eyes had happened to carry over the cellists.

They both paused for a second, as if in fear the other was under the impression that they had been staring at them under romantic implications, and then Frank reacted.

'Boring, huh?' he mouthed raising his eyebrows.

Alice made a face in response, showing her agreement, which was unfortunately caught by Derrick Burke who required a stoic face and complete attention even when one was not playing, which she was.

"Miss Fawley!" He reprimanded, causing Alice to jump and play the wrong not, blushing furiously.

"Sorry Mr. Burke." She apologized glancing down at her cello in embarrassment.

After a moment she glanced up, through her eyelashes, where Frank sat offering her a slight smile.

'Sorry,' he mouthed causing Alice to offer a reassuring smile.

The rest, as they say, was history.

* * *

**Disclaimer: JKR owns all, I just own silly plot ideas and a bare minimum knowledge of orchestra. **

**First in a series of eight (which do get longer I promise), eh wot. Review? (:**


	2. Wednesday

They had Neville on a Wednesday.

After nine long months of pregnancy pains and insane cravings, it was with relief that Alice Longbottom held her small child in her arms for the first time. He was perfect. She smiled softly down at him, then up at Frank who was sitting next to her on the bed.

"He's so cute," she said admiring the baby once more.

"He's perfect," Frank agreed.

Despite the original fear and reluctance to have a child in the middle of the war, and the many times that Frank and Alice had sat down at night and wondered if it was really something they ought to be doing, going through with such a foolish thing, bringing a child into a world of pain and loss, looking at this small, innocent baby seemed to assure them that they had made the right choice. How could they ever have not had this perfect little baby boy?

It seemed almost ridiculous to think that this addition to their little family had ever been in question, ever not been apart of the original plan, especially when he was sitting there in Alice's arms with Frank's eyes and Alice's little round face. He was everything, and looking at him sleeping away, almost unaware of the danger that he was in Frank and Alice both knew they'd do anything for this little boy.

"What's his name then?" The mediwitch inquired.

Frank and Alice looked up in surprise and then at each other in confusion, as they hadn't thought the naming bit through entirely. Sure, they had gone over some names but none had ever seemed particularly right.

"Oh," Alice said. "I haven't the slightest idea. Frank?"

"Well a baby has to have a proper name," Augusta Longbottom declared from a chair within the room.

Frank furrowed his eyebrows as he looked down at the baby and tried to place a name down for him.

"We can always just call him 'Boy Longbottom' until you come up with a proper name?" The mediwitch offered helpfully.

"Certainly not," Augusta disagreed at once. "No grandson of mine will be called 'Boy'. That's far too informal."

"He's not even an hour old I don't think he'll mind," The mediwitch reasoned. "It's not his permanent name anyhow, just a title until one can be thought up."

Augusta Longbottom shot the mediwitch such a severe look that it was a surprise that she did not leave the room at once, Augusta was almost famous for her stern, intimidating looks. She was certainly not a woman to be messed with.

"Right," the mediwitch squeaked. "Name then?"

"Why don't we both choose one?" Alice offered. "You can do the first one."

"All right," Frank agreed turning to look back at the baby. "What's your name little guy?"

They sat in silence for a couple of minutes as Frank ran through a list of names in his head, finally one came to him.

"Neville," Frank decided at last.

"Just pulling names out of a hat there, love?" Alice asked after a beat.

"I had an uncle named Neville," Frank defended.

"You also have an uncle named Algie," Alice retorted. "Doesn't mean we're naming our kid Algernon."

"Algie is only uncle by marriage, hardly earns the honor," Augusta replied dismissively. "I think Neville is perfect."

Frank and Augusta exchanged a smile that went right over Alice's head, for she had never met Frank's uncle Neville and therefore did not understand the importance, but clearly it meant a lot to Augusta.

"I suppose he looks like a Neville," Alice allowed.

"Your turn," Frank said.

"Right," Alice agreed. "Neville Boy Longbottom it is then."

"Alice!" Frank and Augusta reprimanded at once, neither looked particularly amused.

"I'm _kidding_," Alice assured. "Mostly. Ffransis, then?"

"No," Frank turned down at once.

"Well bully," Alice pouted. "That's all I had."

"You're rubbish at names," Frank offered helpfully.

"Shush," Alice ordered. "Well, first borns are usually named after their parents, yeah? So how about Neville Alice-."

"With a name like that he's like to get beaten up," Frank pointed out.

"And with a last name like Longbottom he isn't?" Alice retorted.

Augusta looked as though she were about to come to defense of her husband's last name, but was stopped by a look from Frank as it was evident Alice was merely joking. Plus it was rather uncouth to go off on a woman who had only just given birth, even if she was making glib comments about the family name.

"We have to at least give him a fighting chance, Al," Frank said with a laugh.

"Fine," Alice said with an overdramatic sigh. "We'll name him after his other parent then. If we _must_."

"Really?" Frank asked in surprise.

"Of course," Alice replied smiling at her husband. "I wasn't going to _seriously_name him Alice."

"I love you," Frank said giving her a kiss on the forehead.

"I love you too," Alice replied.

"Neville Frank Longbottom, then?" The mediwitch clarified.

"Yes," Frank and Alice agreed. "Neville Frank Longbottom."

And he was absolutely perfect, in every way.

* * *

**Reviews would be lovely. Xx**


	3. Thursday

They got married on a Thursday.

It was not a particularly extravagant affair, nor was it well planned out, or planned out at all. Weddings in those days rarely were. What had been the potential for a war had become one, and wars led to proclamations and marriages like family vacations led to arguments. They were inevitable, and always somehow a little unexpected.

For Frank and Alice marriage was more a necessity than it was a profession of their love.

Born in an age where love was much more fluid than generations past, where marriage was the next progressive step, it wasn't as important to Frank or Alice as it was to, say, their parents, who found the idea of the two sharing a flat with each other in Diagon Alley without being married to be an outrage. They didn't get married to please their parents though, it was more necessary than that.

Marriage hadn't even occurred to the two until after Alice had finished her own Auror training, and they were both off on field missions.

Field missions were, of course, exceptionally dangerous, particularly when the wizarding world was at war and it was no longer simply the occasional dark wizard, but rather nine out of ten times a Death Eater, prepared to use Unforgivables and kill if it pleased their fancy.

It wasn't uncommon for either of the two to end up in St. Mungo's after a particularly long mission, or at least to be back at the Auror's Department having a coworker perform a few healing spells to patch them up, and it had become a regular thing for the two, to the point that if someone hadn't broken an arm or incurred some kind of scar from dark magic after a few weeks that they'd be on edge.

One day, however, the usual scrapes became much more serious than a broken bone a coworker could easily fix up, and that changed everything. Frank and his partner had been sent out to go after and bring in a notorious Death Eater named Rodulphus Lestrange and things did not go as well as planned, as they tended to do in that day. While a few lesser Death Eater were caught and sentenced during the excursion Rodulphus managed to escape, but not without first sending Frank on a rather serious visit to St. Mungo's.

Alice had been filling out paperwork, the less glamorous part to being an Auror, when she heard and she was out the door and flooing to the hospital before Kingsley had even finished his sentence. That was when the trouble started, only family members were allowed to visit and despite Alice's pleading 'live-in girlfriend' did not count as family. Eventually Mr. Longbottom got her in to see Frank, but that did not solve the root problem. Especially after the two of them found out about the Order of the Phoenix and hospital visits became much more frequent.

It was thus that Alice put together the dots and came to the conclusion that the only way they wouldn't have to put up with rubbish bureaucratic rules and fuss was to do the routine thing and get married.

She proposed one morning as the two were cuddled in bed, simply enjoying the fact that neither of them were out on a mission.

"We should get married," Alice declared into Frank's chest.

"Hmm?" Frank replied, half listening.

"I said," Alice repeated, raising herself up on her arms to look at Frank, "we should get married.

"Have you been talking to my mother again?" Frank asked with a laugh.

"No," Alice continued unperturbed. "I really do think we should get married."

Frank's eyebrows knit in confusion as he pushed himself up into a sitting position, forcing Alice to readjust as well.

"Where's this coming from?" He asked finally. "I thought we both agreed there was no point to it?"

"Yes," Alice agreed, "we did. However that was before St. Mungo's started barring hospital visits based on the fact that we 'aren't family' and the Auror's Department stopped even _telling_ us if the other ended up there. I only found out last time because Moody is a decent human being."

Despite himself, Frank laughed.

"This isn't funny," Alice admonished at once. "You do realize they wouldn't even notify me if you were dead, I'd have to hear about it through the gossip chain."

"I think my parents would tell you," Frank replied.

"Yeah, if your mum decides she likes me that day," Alice disagreed.

"I don't want to start an argument, Alice," Frank said running a hand down his face.

"Then don't laugh about something serious," Alice retorted.

"I wasn't laughing about _that_," Frank clarified, "I was laughing because our parents have been harassing us to get married for a year now and we've always just said it was unnecessary and the thing that's finally made you come around is because you're sick of bureaucratic bullshit. It's the whole reason you didn't like marriage in the first place."

"Made us come around," Alice corrected. "Unless if you don't care that the only way you'd find out I died was during coffee talk with Kingsley."

"I think I'd notice when you never came home," Frank pointed out.

"You know what I mean," Alice said.

"I do," Frank agreed, "but it isn't all the bureaucratic bullshit that makes me want to marry you, it's you. If you want to get married we'll get married, I don't need more convincing than that."

"But you're the one who said you didn't like marriage in the first place," Alice said in confusion. "You said it was all just rubbish social conduct. You can't suddenly be for it now."

"And I'm not," Frank replied. "I still think it's unnecessary societal expectations, but being another statistic fulfilling society's wishes isn't half as bad if I'm doing it with you. _Plus_ it'll be nice getting into your room in St. Mungo's without having to slip a mediwitch a couple of galleons.

"I love you, you know that?" Alice said a smile on her face.

"I think you've mentioned it before," Frank remarked, "once or twice or a hundred times."

"Wanker," Alice exclaimed slapping him lightly on the arm.

"I love you too," Frank said, putting on an air of reluctance. "Otherwise I wouldn't be marrying you."

"That sounds so weird coming out of your mouth," Alice observed.

"Just wait until we tell our parents," Frank teased. "They'll be absolutely ecstatic."

And they would have been, had it not been for the fact that both Frank and Alice had failed to tell either of their parents that marriage had even crossed their minds, let alone the fact that they were going to get married. It wasn't until if they got married that most anyone found out, and their parents were, understandably, rather irritated.

It happened, anyhow, on a Thursday. Frank had the rare day off, or at least didn't have to be in the office, and was hanging out with his best mate from, well ever, Trespassers. The two were catching up when Trespassers offhandedly revealed that he had been ordained quite recently for his sister's wedding which had been an _interesting _affair. Frank's ears perked up at the offhand comment and so he casually, as casually as Frank Longbottom did anything which was rarely casually at all, asked what exactly getting married required.

Trespassers, typically, ignored the question and instead asked if Frank was still getting married.

"Planning on it," Frank answered trying to keep off any comments.

"Who are you and what have you done with Frank Longbottom?" Trespassers demanded at once.

"It's complicated," Frank explained.

"You know the bird up?" Trespassers asked knowingly as this was, in fact, how he had landed his first wife.

"No," Frank said trying not to sound offended.

"Lame. Who is it then? What bird has convinced our dear Frank to conform?" Trespassers inquired.

"Alice…?" Frank answered as though this were obvious.

"Still?" Trespassers exclaimed in surprise. "Well shit, I'd be honored to marry you two."

"What-no one said anything about-." Frank began to dissuade.

"But you were going to," Trespassers pointed out. "All you need is two witnesses and a marriage license."

"That's it?" Frank asked in surprise. "That seems so…simple."

"Marriage is simple, my friend," Trespassers declared.

Frank raised a dubious eyebrow.

"We're going to the Ministry of Magic," he told Trespassers.

"Today?" Trespassers said. "Okay, sure today works."

When they arrived in the Auror Department after getting the marriage license Kingsley demanded to know why Frank was in on his day off, before getting Alice per Frank's request.

"Frank I have to say I'm a little concerned if you can't go a day without being here," Alice said as soon as she was in earshot.

"Trespassers can ordain people," Frank exclaimed.

"Pardon?" Alice asked in confusion.

"I can marry people, you, namely," Trespassers explained.

"Well you can't marry me, you're already married, love. Sorry," Alice teased.

"And last I heard you were engaged. Quite off the market, the both of us," Trespassers agreed with a sad shake of his head. "Ah, what could have been."

"What couldn't have been, you mean," Alice scoffed. "Anyways don't you have to have a marriage license to get married?"

Frank held up the official document he had only just acquired.

"Well, shit," Alice exclaimed. "This is actually happening."

"Unless you don't want to?" Frank checked.

"No, I do," Alice assured. "Don't we need witnesses or something?"

"Two," Trespassers answered.

"Two whole people?" Alice asked in surprise. "Do we even know two people?"

"Not who aren't working," Frank remarked. "When's your lunch break?"

"In about an hour," Alice answered, glancing at her watch to check. "Why?"

"I'll get two witnesses and meet you back here in a hour then," Frank declared.

"This is happening _today_?" Alice exclaimed in surprise. "_Today _today?"

"No time like the present," Trespassers said.

"But I look awful!" Alice cried gesturing down to herself. "You're meant to be pretty when you get married."

"You look beautiful," Frank assured her.

Alice raised a dubious eyebrow.

"I'll get you a different set of dress robes?" Frank offered. "Get two witnesses and pick out something not ugly, easy."

"When did you get so spontaneous?" Alice asked with a laugh.

"When you decided you wanted to get married?" Frank offered.

"To be honest you've both really changed since Hogwarts," Trespassers commented unhelpfully.

"You haven't," Frank and Alice said at once.

"That's because I'm timeless," Trespassers declared confidently.

Frank and Alice both rolled their eyes.

"I have to get back to work," Alice concluded, biting her lip. "See you in an hour?"

"On the dot," Frank agreed. "I love you."

"I love you too," Alice replied, giving him a quick peck on the cheek. "Oh! And make sure whatever you grab is white!"

As Alice hurried back to her desk Frank stared after her in surprise.

"I can't believe I'm getting married today," he breathed finally.

"You and me both," Trespassers agreed.

An hour later Frank and Trespassers were back in the Auror Department with two witnesses, waiting for Alice to get off. Frank was nervously tapping his foot as he glanced at the clock on the wall, aware that Alice should have been off at least ten minutes ago.

"Maybe she got cold feet," Trespassers offered helpfully.

"You wish," Alice declared appearing seemingly from nowhere. "Sorry I'm late, Moody decided I had to redo the whole Burke paperwork and wouldn't let me go on lunch until I finished. He thinks lunch is a privilege."

"Should have told him you had to go get married," Frank joked.

"Oh, I did," Alice replied. "He said, 'Marriage is a privilege, Fawley. You get married when you finish this paperwork. And tell Longbottom I said congratulations'."

"That man has a heart of gold," Frank said laughing.

"Where are we going then?" Alice asked grabbing the dress robes Frank had gotten her. "And who are out witnesses?"

"Right, how rude of me," Frank said. "Alice, meet James Potter and Lily Evans who we rather accosted on the streets."

"Nice to meet you," Alice greeted smiling towards the two. "Welcome to the craziest day of my life. This isn't white, Frank."

"You don't anything white," Frank replied at once as though expecting the comment.

"Bollocks, you're right," Alice realized blushing. "I'm Alice Fawley, by the way, since Ffransis the idiot didn't introduce me back."

"Nice to meet you," Lily offered smiling at the two.

"The pleasure's all mine, dear," Alice replied. "Right, so where are we going?"

"I haven't the slightest idea," Frank answered.

"Who _are _you? _The _Frank Longbottom doesn't know where we're going to get married?" Alice teased.

"Wait, are you Ffransis or Frank?" James asked in confusion. "I feel like I ought to at least know the name of the bloke who's wedding I'm witnessing.

"It's Frank," Frank said.

"But all of his close friends call him Ffransis," Alice continued.

"What?" Lily asked.

"All of my close friends are Welsh," Frank explained with a groan. "It's best you don't ask, really."

"I only have a half hour lunch," Alice reminded helpfully.

"There's a nice garden behind Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor," James offered. "You hop the gate by Eeylop's and it's a quick dash to."

"I like him," Alice proclaimed.

"I was afraid you might say that," Frank remarked.

"Oh look Evans, competition," James declared with a smirk.

Lily rolled her eyes.

"Not to be rude," Trespassers interrupted, "but I do have several other couples to marry today."

"I hope to Circe you're kidding," Alice said as the group headed out of the building.

A hop, skip, and a jump, literally, later and the odd group stood in Florean Fortescue's small garden rather illegally.

"We should probably not get caught," Alice reasoned. "Bit of an embarrassment getting arrested by your coworkers on you lunch break."

"Go change behind the bushes and we can get started then," Frank replied gesturing to the tall bushes in the corner.

"Not exactly how I pictured my wedding," Alice replied making her way to the bushes. "Lily, come help me please.

"You didn't picture a wedding at all!" Frank called after her as Lily dutifully followed.

"Wanker," Alice muttered once she was behind the bushes and changing. "Right, so Lily, you are…?"

"Seventeen," Lily answered taking Alice's discarded work dress robes.

"Right," Alice said. "And you and James are…?"

"Dating," Lily provided.

"Brilliant, so then you'll be the one catching the bouquet," Alice replied. "And you think Frank and I are…?"

"Lovely?" Lily offered. "Did he say you didn't want to get married?"

"It's complicated," Alice explained. "Life gets complicated when you get old, don't get old."

"I'll try not to," Lily assured. "But you're not that old, you're what, twenty-one?"

"Something like that," Alice agreed. "Merlin knows anymore. I already have grey hairs, you know. It's from all the wedding stress."

Lily laughed despite the fact that she, perhaps, was not in on the entire joke.

"I like you," Alice declared. "I'm glad Frank accosted you on the streets."

"Well thanks," Lily replied smiling. "Now let's get you married."

Lily and Alice emerged from behind the bushes, Lily in front, and Alice plucked a random flower as the two made their way towards Frank, James and Trespassers, James offering a very horrible rendition of the wedding march. When they arrived Alice gave Frank a quick peck on the cheek as Trespassers began on the vows. Things went smoothly until Trespassers called for the rings.

"Well bollocks," Frank cursed digging through his pockets. "I have this, uh, twisty tie?"

"Prettier than even my mother's wedding ring," Alice proclaimed admiringly as Frank went about twisting into ring shape.

"I need a ring too, love," He reminded.

"I left it a work," Alice said awkwardly. "No, I'm kidding, I'm actually prepared. Lily, dear, the ring."

"I don't have any ring," Lily hissed.

"Right pocket of my robes," Alice offered.

Lily dug about in the robes she held for a moment before pulling out a paperclip.

"Uh…this?" She said, holding it out.

"Perfect," Alice exclaimed taking the paperclip. "I haven't had it sized yet, give me a moment."

"I hope that's from Moody's desk," Frank remarked as Alice unbent it then rebent it.

"Oh you know it," Alice replied with a smirk, "nothing better for my husband."

"You know you could magic those into proper rings," said Trespassers dryly.

"You lack vision, Trespassers," Frank replied. "It's much more creative this way."

"Plus Frank's mother is going to give me her grandmother's wedding ring once she finds out we got married so we might as well do this on our terms for as long as we can," Alice added.

"Also my mother's going to force a family heirloom on us, yes," Frank agreed. "It won't be as beautiful as this twisty tie though."

"Nothing is as beautiful as that twisty tie," Alice said.

"All right, all right. Do you Frank Longbottom take Alice Fawley to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold as long you both shall live?" Trespassers asked.

"I do," Frank answered sliding his makeshift ring on Alice's finger.

"And do you, Alice Fawley take Frank Longbottom to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold as long as you both shall live?" Trespasser repeated.

"I do," Alice agreed, sliding her on makeshift ring onto Frank's finger.

"Then I now pronounce you husband and wife, you may now kiss the bride." Trespassers proclaimed with a dramatic flourish of his hands.

Frank drew Alice in for a kiss as James and Lily make loud applause noises.

"Ah yes," Frank declared glancing down at his watch as they separated. "One forty-six, Alice marries Frank, right on schedule."

"Wanker," Alice declared adoringly.

"And you thought this was all spontaneous," Frank teased as smile on his face.

* * *

**Happy Thanksgiving to my fellow Americans, Happy Thursday to the rest of the world. Reviews, as always, appreciated. Xx**


	4. Friday

The first time they spoke, in actual physical words, was a Friday.

It had been a week or two since what Alice had formally labelled as 'the incident' and she had nearly, very nearly, forgotten it entirely, at least unless if it was mentioned. She and Frank had shared no more looks since that rather embarrassing Tuesday and she had all but forgotten his existence.

In that age her life was consumed by Edwin Abbott, the clarinetist of whom she was so transfixed, and therefore other males did not register on her radar. Edwin, alternatively, did not seem to have her on his radar, and so she spent many practices unsuccessfully willing him to look her way. It was when she had noticed that he always stayed several minutes later to talk to Derrick Burke every Friday that she had begun to formulate a plan to make her move. As it were, things did not go to plan.

After practice one would generally floo home, and Alice was generally one of the first to make her way out of there. After packing up her rather large instrument, Alice would make her way to the fireplace in a rather unladylike manner, her mind set on nothing but the delicious food that would be awaiting her at home. That is, until she noticed that Edwin was not of the same mind as her, at least not on Friday.

And so, one Friday, she took extra time putting away her instrument, something that although its height and weight did not normally take her very long as, unlike those with wind instruments, she did not have to take apart the pieces or try and clean out the spit. It was a task in and of itself to take as long as she managed to do, dawdling and having an unwanted conversation with Narcissa Black, who was first violinist, as the two packed up their separate instruments.

Narcissa abandoned her, however, and so did most of the other teenagers, leaving only a collection of people behind, including one Frank Longbottom.

Alice stood, trying to figure out how she would have a conversation with Edwin Abbott when he was so engaged with Derrick Burke, awkwardly shifting around with her packed up cello, when Frank approached her, having packed up his flute and been abandoned by his own best mate, Trespassers Macmillan.

"Fawley, right?" He asked conversationally, causing Alice to look up in surprise.

"Alice," she replied sticking her hand out. "You are?"

"Frank Longbottom," he offered, taking her hand. "You looked like you were in need of conversation."

"What?" Alice asked in confusion.

"Well, you were standing here awkwardly looking like you waiting for something," Frank answered rubbing the back of his head. "I figured you'd probably have some sort of conversation rather than stand here bored until whatever it is you're waiting for happens."

"Don't you want to go home?" Alice replied.

"Bit rude, aren't you?" Frank teased with a laugh. "Most people would say 'thank you'."

"Oh. Sorry," Alice apologized, instantly flustered. "I just wasn't expecting sudden conversation and I normally want to get out of here so I just assumed-."

"Well, you know what they say about assuming." Frank offered casually.

Alice looked up at him with a look of confusion on her face, as she obviously did not know what they said.

"Nevermind," Frank said with a nervous laugh, as the conversation was not going as well as planned.

They fell into an uncomfortable silence for a beat, before a look of recognition came across Frank's face.

"Wait, I know you," He said turning to look over Alice's face and place her.

"What?" Alice asked.

"You look familiar," Frank rephrased.

"Oh. Probably because I'm the girl what got in trouble for making faces whilst playing cello the other day," Alice offered, as that was how most people now knew her.

"Yes! From the other day. I asked you if you were bored," Frank recalled. "Sorry about that, by the way, probably my fault you got in trouble."

"Not at all," Alice assured. "It's my fault for not being into classical musical as much as Mr. Burke. It was just bad timing but bound to happen eventually."

"What do you prefer then?" Frank asked conversationally.

"Over classical?" Alice clarified. "Most everything, but I love jazz. It's my favorite. That and swing but those aren't exactly _appropriate_."

"Both of which you can play on the cello." Frank remarked. "I have to say, the genres I prefer you don't typically play on the flute."

"I'm a bit lame like that, I only like music I can play. And dance to." Alice allowed. "I'm only just cooler than classical, I'm afraid."

Frank nodded his agreement and a slight silence fell over them again as he thought up something else to say.

"So what year are you then? Or going into, I suppose," he inquired relying on the standard conversation prompters.

"Me? I'm going to be a fo-what!" Alice began to answer before noticing that Edwin Abbott had somehow left without her noticing. "Oh come on!"

"What?" Frank asked in confusion. "What happened?"

"The person I was waiting for left!" Alice exclaimed, annoyed. "I didn't even notice!"

"Well that was rude of them," Frank observed. "You were waiting for them to finish and they just left without you?"

"They didn't know I was waiting for them," Alice explained looking around as though Edwin might be hiding.

"Oh," Frank said. "_Oh_. You were waiting for a bloke and were going to ambush him, weren't you?"

"Yes…" Alice answered having the good manners to blush.

Frank nodded knowingly.

"It was Edwin Abbott, was it?" He inquired, taking a guess.

"What! How did you-how did you _know_ that?" Alice exclaimed in surprise, worried that it was obvious she fancied him.

"My mate's little sister Beth Macmillan, she's about what I reckon your age is a 'fo-what' year and all, and she fancies him too. Lucky guess," Frank offered casually, having the audacity to shrug.

"Beth Macmillan?" Alice gasped in a tone that denoted dislike. "She fancies him?"

"Yes," Frank answered. "Although from that tone I reckon you don't much like her."

"Bollocks," Alice cursed.

"Aren't you a little young to be using that language?" Frank joked, raising an eyebrow.

"No," Alice disagreed. "I shouldn't be using it because I'm a lady. You need to get your reasons for disapproval right."

"Right," Frank agreed. "I always confuse those too. Practically the same when you think about it."

Alice shot him a bewildered look.

"You're weird," she declared.

"The best ones are," Frank remarked almost proudly.

"I should be going," Alice decided, only partially crushed at missing out on talking to Edwin.

She moved to bend down and pick up her cello before Frank stopped her.

"Here, let me get that for you," He offered, bending down and picking up the large instrument.

"Thank you," Alice said.

"You're welcome," Frank replied. "See, I may be weird but at least I'm a gentleman."

Alice made a show of rolling her eyes, as fourteen year olds do, as Frank offered a smile at her, picking up his flute as they made their way towards the fireplace.

Upon arrival he handed the cello to her, making sure not to tip over the rather small girl with the instrument, before giving her a handful of floo powder.

"Off you pop." He said, gesturing to the fireplace.

"Goodbye." Alice replied, preparing herself for the sensation of flooing.

"Goodbye," Frank stated as she stepped into the emerald flames. "See you around."

And although neither really thought he meant it, more of a cordial remark than a promise, it proved to be true.

* * *

**And now we go back to the beginning a bit. Reviews will be extraordinary. Xx**


	5. Saturday

Their first kiss was on a Saturday.

He was seventeen, she was fifteen. It was during a Hogsmeade visit on a rare sunny April day.

He had asked her out two weeks before, almost on a spur of the moment, without even really thinking. It hadn't been months or weeks of stressing and planning, there had been no realizations or denials, it had just been a regular day and they had been sitting outside, him studying for his N.E.W.T.s and her for her O.W.L.s. She'd had on a jumper she'd borrowed from him because it was colder than she had originally expected, and he had offered it even though he was a bit chilly himself.

She had had a licorice wand in her mouth, debating whether or not he'd think it was funny or childish if she pretended to be a walrus, and it had just tumbled out of his mouth before either of them even knew what was going on. The question itself was innocent, a simple 'Will you go to Hogsmeade with me?' but the connotations it held were dangerous. Had they been anyone else, anywhere else, perhaps there had been a moment of fear, hesitation, wide eyes and a doubt of whether it was a friendly question or a date.

Almost as soon as the question was out, however, so was her answer. She had no analyzed or worried, weighed answers or considered options, he asked and she answered almost at once, to the point that the licorice wand fell out of mouth and into her lap, barely noticed as the 'yes' fell off her lips. He had smiled at her his famous, slight smile, and she had smiled back, picking up her licorice wand and taking a bite.

"It's a date then," he said so casually it almost didn't seem important.

They went back to studying, it hardly even seemed as though they had just shifted their friendship to something more serious and risky. At least, not until the day of the date.

Frank combed his hair to the side nervously, narrowing his eyes as though trying to figure out what it was he was doing exactly. He shifted his shirt as he tried to figure out exactly how this had happened, exactly what they'd be doing. He hadn't given much thought to the whole date idea in the weeks after he had asked, and now he was regretting it. He wasn't one not to plan, he always thought and planned everything out, how had he forgotten to think up even an inkling for a date with one of his _mates_?

What had he been _thinking_?

"Looks like rubbish," Trespassers, dorm mate and best mate, commented glancing at Frank in the mirror.

"Helpful as always," Frank grumbled running a hand through his hair not mess it up.

"Still rubbish," Trespassers declared. "Calm down will you? You're stressing me out."

Frank turned towards him and raised a sarcastic eyebrow.

"No sense of humor," Trespassers said holding up his hands in surrender. "You look fine, stop sweating it, it's only some bird."

"It's _Alice_," Frank pointed out.

"Really?" Trespassers asked in surprise. "How did I miss that?"

"You're useless," Frank declared turning back to the mirror. "You're useless and I give up. This date is going to be shit."

"That's the spirit!" Trespassers declared helpfully giving Frank a big thumbs up.

With a groan of reluctant acceptance that this was possibly going to be the worst day of his life Frank made his way out of his dorm and towards the Entrance Hall, Trespassers offering less than motivational words of wisdom behind him.

Upon arrival Frank ran a nervous hand through his hair, thereby mussing up what moments ago he had been obsessing over, and attempted to locate the girl of whom he had until recently considered solely as a friend. His eyes ran over the Entrance Hall until he located her, chatting with a brunette who he vaguely recognized, presumably waiting for him. As if feeling his eyes on her she turned around and offered a small smile.

As Alice said a quick goodbye to her friend and moved to meet up with Frank near the doors Frank felt his nerves dissipate and his worry about how horrendous the day was going to be disappear almost completely. By the time that Alice bounded up to him, smile on her face, they were all but gone.

"Ready?" She asked.

Frank gave a nod of affirmation and the two made their way towards Hogsmeade, arms looped in comfortable silence.

"So where are we going when we get there?" Alice asked after awhile.

"I don't know, Three Broomsticks maybe?" Frank offered with a shrug.

"Sounds all right to me," Alice said. "And then?"

"I haven't the slightest idea," Frank replied with a laugh.

"What! _The _Frank Longbottom hasn't planned everything out to the tee?" Alice gasped. "Are you feeling all right?"

"Just fine, thanks for asking," Frank answered.

Alice narrowed her eyes as though in suspect of him lying before stopping in front of him and placing the back of her hand against his forehead. Frank, not expecting the sudden stop, all but walked into her hand and the two jostled for a moment as Alice nearly lost her footing.

Alice pursed her lips and regained her footing with the help of Frank, who had grasped her arm to keep her falling on the uneven terrain, moving her hand onto a proper position on his forehead as though the near incident had not just occurred. Frank watched her expectantly.

"No fever," she declared.

"I told you I was feeling all right," Frank reminded.

"I had to be sure," Alice explained. "Maybe you were lying. You never don't plan anything."

"Never…don't…plan…" Frank repeated as though checking her grammar, his eyes looking upwards as if in thought.

"That was proper English!" Alice exclaimed, her tone defensive. "I hate when you do that."

"Just checking, love," Frank said smile on his face as Alice pouted. "You can take your hand off my forehead anyhow. We've established I'm not running a fever."

"Oh," Alice remarked taking her hand away and blushing. "I had forgotten it was there."

"Evidently," Frank replied smirking slightly at the younger girl's flustered expression.

"Alternatively, you can let go of my arm," Alice offered taking note of Frank's grasp on her arm.

"No, I don't think I will," Frank decided glancing down at his own hand.

"You're going to hold my arm like that all the way down?" Alice asked, incredulous.

"No," Frank answered causing Alice to give him a look of confusion. "I'm going to hold your hand, stupid."

"Oh!" Alice exclaimed a look of surprise coming onto her face as Frank grabbed her hand. "Oh, okay."

A soft smile fell onto Alice's face as Frank took her hand and she glanced up to find that it was matched on Frank's face.

"You will have to move if we want to get anywhere though," he pointed out as Alice still stood in front of him.

Alice shook her head flashing a sneaky smile at Frank, or at least, as sneaky as Alice's smile got.

"No, I don't think I will," she decided looking up at Frank almost challengingly.

"Well then this'll be a very interesting walk to Hogsmeade," Frank observed taking a joking step forwards. "You that confident in your ability to walk backwards?"

"Oh I'm great at it," Alice assured though she made no move to start walking.

"You do have to move, you know," Frank informed her expectantly.

"I am aware," she agreed, smile spreading on her face.

"Preferably soon, as I can't walk forward anymore," he continued as he took another prompting walk forward and the two came near forehead to forehead, disrupted only by the fact that Alice was considerably shorter than Frank. "You're move."

This seemed to be the direction that Alice had been waiting for as, almost as soon as the word 'move' was out of his mouth Alice was up on her top toes and pressing her lips against Frank's. He paused for a moment, a beat really, before responding. The kiss itself only lasted a few seconds, as Alice pulled away and returned the heels of her feet to the ground, a shy smile on her face. She expected an array of reactions from Frank as she glanced back up to him, namely surprise, but the response she got was not what she was expecting in the least.

"Ah yes," Frank declared glancing at an imaginary watch on his wrist and cocking a smile at Alice, "Twelve twenty-five, Alice kisses Frank, right on schedule."

"Wanker!" Alice gasped in mock-outrage, slapping Frank on the arm.

"And you said I didn't have a plan," Frank teased.

Alice pursed her lips as Frank stepped around her, tugging her arm slightly.

"Come along Alice, we have a date to get to."

* * *

**Review? Xx**


	6. Sunday

They became friends on a Sunday.

He was a sixth year and she was a fourth year. It was in February. They had, until previously, been acquantinces, aware of the other's existence but not likely to stop and chat, catch up on each other's lives or hang out for extensive periods of time. When it came to a pinch they were likely to have a short, stinted, conversation but they did not speak regularly,

Not until, at least, Sunday.

Being a sixth year and now in N.E.W.T level classes Frank found that the level of homework he received on a daily basis was much higher than what he had done even the previous year, when he had been studying for his O.W.L.s. It was thus that he spent a vast majority of his time with Trespassers, his best mate, in the library with piles of essay assignments and books with chapters that needed to be read surrounding them, making a slow dent into their always growing work load. To fall behind was certain death.

It was no different on that cold February morning, except, perhaps, that Trespassers who happened to play Quidditch had a practice that morning and Frank was, rather unusually, flying solo. It made no matter to him, however, whether he had a partner or not, and in fact he seemed to be getting much more work done than he previously had done with Trespassers sitting next to him causing distraction. It made no difference, anyways, until a fourth year asked if she could sit in the unoccupied seat next to him.

"Sure," Frank answered not looking up from his Ancient Runes translations.

"Thank you," the fourth year replied sitting down and beginning their own work.

They sat in silence for awhile, nothing but the sounds of their quills scratching on paper. Finally, Frank finished his translations and began to put it away, looking around and trying to figure out which subject he should start on next. That was when he finally took notice on the fourth year.

"Alice?" He asked in surprise, for he realized who it was.

"Hmm?" Alice replied, who was in the middle of what seemed to be a complicated Arithmancy assignment.

Frank did not take Arithmancy, it all just looked like a jumble of numbers to him.

"I just didn't realize it was you," Frank remarked turning to start a Potions essay.

They returned to their silence, both working on their separate assignments, when Alice took her turn to break the silence.

"Is it Francis, Franklin, or just Frank?" she inquired suddenly, surprising Frank.

"Just Frank?" Frank replied in confusion.

"Are you asking me or telling me?" Alice teased.

"Asking because I have no idea what you're on about," Frank retorted.

"It's for my assignment. We're meant to pick three names and do the different numbers for them. I couldn't think of a third so I'm doing you," Alice explained.

Frank stared at her, no expression on his face.

"So is it Frank, Franklin, or Francis?" Alice prompted again. "Or is it François?"

"That's the same as Francis," Frank pointed out.

"Yes, but it's _French_. Maybe your parents were particularly fancy, how am I to know?" Alice replied. "The extra 'o' makes all the difference, you see. So I have to know."

"It's actually Franco," Frank deadpanned.

"Isn't that Francisco in Spanish?" Alice asked, squinting at him as if to decide if he were being serious or not.

"Yes, my parents were fancy, what can I say?" Frank teased.

"I'm trying to do my homework, Francisco," Alice retorted. "Be serious."

"Just Frank," Frank repeated. "All of my close friends call me Ffransis though."

Alice stared at him blankly.

"What?" Frank asked innocently. "My closest friends are all Welsh."

Alice made a big show of rolling her eyes and went back to her homework, seemingly intent on ignoring him. At least, until she had to ask him something else.

"Longbottom, right?" She clarified, not looking up from her paper.

"Yes," Frank answered. "L-O-N-G-B-O-T-T-O-M. Longbottom."

"I didn't need you to spell it out for me." Alice remarked. "It's not exactly _hard_. I'm a fourth year, not a moron."

"I thought you were a 'fo-what!'. My apologies," Frank joked. "I just wanted to clarify, since one letter can make a difference and all."

"I bet your numbers say you're a horrible person," Alice grumbled.

Frank offered her a slight smile before going back to his own Potions assignment, Alice seemed to start writing his name repetitively on her paper and, curious, Frank decided to comment.

"Putting numbers under someone's name is a really weird way to show you fancy them," he teased in the hopes that Alice would explain to him what she was doing.

Just because he didn't take Arithmancy didn't mean he wasn't curious, after all.

"That's because I don't," Alice retorted. "I fancy Edwin Abbott, remember?"

"Right," Frank recalled. "So did you do his numbers then?"

The answer came not in a vocal reply, but rather by Alice's vibrant blush.

"Do your numbers say you're compatible?" Frank teased.

"That's not how it works," Alice corrected at once. "We do both have three's as heart numbers though."

"That means you're compatible?" Frank guessed.

"Not necessarily, it does mean we share some of the same fears and desires though," Alice explained.

"Groovy," Frank declared. "And I am then…?"

"I'm working on it," Alice replied. "You have a lot of consonants."

"Pardon?" Frank asked in confusion.

"In your name, its almost all consonants," Alice explained.

"Oh. So?" Frank said.

"It just means I have a lot to add up for you social number," Alice grumbled as she worked out the math on a scrap of paper in front of her. "I should have gone with John Smith instead."

"It's the Longbottom," Frank said knowingly.

"The Frank doesn't help," Alice replied. "You're just one big consonant."

"Now imagine if my name was Ffransis," Frank pointed out. "Makes you appreciate that now, doesn't it?"

"If your name was Ffra-Ffransis I wouldn't be doing it," Alice decided. "Sounds like a bloody nightmare. I don't even know how to pronounce it."

"Welsh is a hard language," Frank allowed. "And not a very oft used one at that."

"It shows," Alice said.

A silence washed over them for a few more minutes as Alice did her calculations and Frank went back to his Potions essay.

"All right," Alice declared after a reasonable time. "I'm off."

"Wait, what?" Frank asked in confusion. "You haven't told me what I am yet!"

"I didn't think you wanted to know," Alice said in surprise.

"I don't want to know if it's right about me or not?" Frank asked sarcastically.

"I suppose that is a thing most people want to know," Alice allowed.

"Go on then," Frank prompted.

"Well, you're a four and your heart and social number are one and three respectively," Alice began unsurely.

"Which means?" Frank inquired.

"Okay, well, this is only my second year so bear with me," Alice stated, reading through the few paragraphs she had written. "Basically it means that you're practical and logical when it comes to problem solving you're focused and determined, but better at working alone and very good at setting goals and achieving them. You, uh, can be predictable and stubborn as well as overly practical, but you present yourself with social ease and with humor.

"In addition to that you're also loyal and reliable as well as serious and scholarly, generally interested in a lot of things, especially if you don't already know about them and enjoy hard work and towards sarcasm, _that's_definitely true. That's, uh, basically it."

"Fair enough," Frank said nodding.

"Well was it good?" Alice asked, unsure.

"Prety good," Frank assured. "Not entirely off or ridiculous or anything like that."

"Okay," Alice said, moving to pack her stuff up again. "That's good, it means I won't completely fail."

"What about you?" Frank inquired.

"What about me?" Alice replied in confusion.

"Well you've obviously done yours, what are you?" Frank asked.

"I'm a three," Alice answered. "A big ole three, in everything really."

"That means…?" Frank prompted.

"Well it means we have the same social number," Alice said with a laugh. "Basically it means I'm easygoing and lucky, high energy and talented, I present myself with easy and am humorous, same as you, but I can be unfocussed and easily offended at times, which I don't agree with _at all_. On top of that I tend to be adventurous and like to take risks, but have a hard time committing to one thing because I want to do everything and can occasionally be irresponsible. That's about it."

Frank nodded as there wasn't much he could say to that.

"I really ought to go," Alice said moving to get up. "I have to go help my mate practice some Chaser move thing."

"Sounds like you'll be a lot of help," Frank remarked sarcastically. "Since you have such a great idea of what it is and all."

"Well I'm not the one playing Quidditch," Alice pointed out.

Frank laughed as Alice gathered her stuff and slung it over her shoulder.

"Goodbye, Frank." She said offering a slight wave.

"Goodbye, Alice." Frank replied. "See you around."

Alice made her way out of the library and Frank returned to his homework, neither reflecting on the previous reflection too much. As it were, however, Frank had actually meant the 'see you around' this time, rather than using it for courtesy sake, and although neither were aware of it yet, the two had certainly become friends.

* * *

**Reviews for the fact that I sat calculating Arithmancy for a one off thing? Xx**


	7. Monday

They said 'I love you' on a Monday.

Having a boyfriend two years your senior was a challenge when one attended a boarding school and said boyfriend had already graduated. Alice, in her sixth year with a boyfriend who happened to have graduated a year previously was no exception to these challenges. She kept herself as busy as she could with homework and social interactions and classes, but that did not keep her from zoning out in class and thinking about said boyfriend, or worrying about him as the case maybe in some cases.

Having a boyfriend who was training to be an auror in a time of war did not make life any easier.

They were not completely devoid of interaction, Alice and Frank sent letters regularly, or as regularly as one could when a vast majority of their time was spent training or studying or other things that adults who no longer attend a boarding school do, and letters on Frank's part were much more sparse than on Alice's who had a lot more free time to think and write.

It was apparent to Alice that she probably missed Frank more than he missed her, not because she fancied him more, but rather because she had more downtime to think about her missing boyfriend. Frank, on the other hand, spent nearly every day running about like a chicken with his head cut off putting in long hours to achieve a goal that Alice did not yet have. She understood, it just made her life personally a lot harder.

She was not devoid of notes from her boyfriend, however, even if his proper lengthy letters only arrived perhaps once every month when he had the time to sit down and think about what he'd like to say, it was a very frequent practice of Frank to send notes, on torn paperwork documents or napkins, whatever he had on hand really, apologizing for his lack of reply or giving a quick update in his life, sometimes both and that was all Alice needed, really.

That did not, however, keep her from missing seeing his face and hearing his voice daily.

Over the summer, before Frank's training had begun and whilst Alice was still waiting to hear on her O.W.L.s they had spent far more time than Alice thought they should have together. Summer nights curled up together, long chats, sidelong glances in orchestral practices Frank was still forced to take until he officially started his training, the last he would take, had all spoiled Alice and accustomed to seeing her boyfriend often and for long periods of times, which made it all the worse now that her interactions were reduced to small, quick notes on napkins.

They said absence made the heart grow fonder, but Alice's heart had grown as fond as she was willing to put up with.

It was thus that the plan was hatched. It was a cold January morning and Alice had been wearing a jumper she had stolen from Frank at some undetermined time, bemoaning to her friend Hestia about how the two had not even been able to meet over Christmas Holiday due to a conflict of schedules and, to no one's surprise, Frank's busy work schedule. Hestia had, quite accidentally, put the whole idea into action by uttering a simple, slightly annoyed, reply to her friend's constant complaining.

"If you miss him so bad why don't you go visit him?" Hestia had asked with a roll of her eyes.

And Alice had replied as anyone would in that instant, with an insincere but hopeful, "Well, maybe I will."

It had been a fanciful idea but, over time, Alice had acquired all the necessary elements to go through with the plan. It was just a matter of timing, figuring out when both she and Frank were free, which was harder than it sounded. The opportunity didn't present itself until one rainy April day.

Alice was sitting at breakfast chatting with Hestia about the Potions essay what was due that Hestia had failed to write, when the morning post arrived. It had become habit for Alice to pause from her breakfast in case if a letter arrived for her, it was always a possibility with Frank, and she was not disappointed when a familiar owl dropped a weighted envelope onto her plate.

"Oh, a proper letter," Hestia observed picking it up. "It must be your birthday!"

"There's no need to be rude," Alice reprimanded taking the envelope.

She pried it open with her thumb and skimmed the pages, admiring Frank's neat scrawl, running a finger almost reverently across a line and smiling softly at the words, imagining him sitting in his flat and writing them. No matter how many times she saw his scrawl she was always impressed with the neatness, how the ink never blotted in the corner of his words like it did with her's, it was so perfect and so, well, _Frank_.

"Are you really getting off on his penmanship?" Hestia asked knowingly. "That's just said, hun."

"You don't get it," Alice said at once, defensively.

"That you miss him so much that something written by him is important?" Hestia inquired. "No, I get it, I just think it's kind of sad that your life has been reduced to little splotches of ink on some parchment."

"You're a true romantic," declared Alice with a roll of her eyes.

"And you need to either go see him or get over him. This whole mooning about waiting for letters thing is just getting obnoxious," Hestia replied. "Time to put up or shut up Fawley, I didn't spend a whole night flirting with Bilius Weasley to get you a secret passage out of this castle just so you could waste it moaning over the way some bloke writes his g's."

"It's his z's, actually," Alice corrected, perhaps sardonically.

Hestia raised an unimpressed eyebrow.

"It's more complicated than that though, he's probably at training," Alice complained. "And you did not spend a whole night flirting, if that's what we're calling it these days, with Bilius Weasley just for a passage out of the school. Let's call a spade a spade her, love."

Hestia rolled her eyes and took the letter out of Alice's hands, as though too good to deem the implications of Alice's remark with an answer.

"What are you doing?" Alice asked at once.

"Helping," Hestia answered at once skimming through the letter herself. "Gets a bit steamy here, doesn't it?"

"Give it back!" Alice cried, trying to grab the letter back as Hestia held it out of her reach.

"See, right here!" Hestia exclaimed showing a paragraph to Alice. "He says he's planning on spending the whole day today _studying. _That's practically and invitation."

Alice took the letter back and read over the paragraph.

"He probably has to study…" She declared unsurely.

"Oh for Circe's sake, if you don't go over there and make use of this little escape you've been planning for _months _now then I will," Hestia exclaimed in annoyance. "_Go_."

"Maybe I will," Alice retorted challengingly.

"You're just saying that," Hestia accused.

Alice began to dig through her bag resolutely, pulling out an piece of parchment and handing it to Hestia.

"Here, you can have my Potions essay since I won't be needing it," she said getting up. "Tell Slughorn I'm not feeling well or something, I'm going to go visit my boyfriend."

Hestia looked as though she might cry, whether out of pride from her friend or because she was getting out of her writing a Potions essay, Alice could not discern but she, Alice that is, could not help but feel proud of herself for finally taking action.

That was, at least, until she stood outside Frank's flat, soaked through her uniform as she had forgotten her uniform, instantly regretting her choice. What if Frank was busy? Or out? What if he _had _wanted to study? She was just about ready to return to Hogwarts, or at least hide out in the Leaky Cauldron until it was safe to return without Hestia judging her, when the door to the flat opened and a boy with bright red hair looked out at her.

"You coming in or staying out?" He asked. "It's only, Gideon and I have a bet going whether or not you'll come in and we're going to be late for work if we wait any longer for you to make up your mind so we've decided to push it along. In or out?"

"Pardon?" Alice asked in confusion.

"In or out?" He repeated swinging the door to emphasis the question. "Come along, I already have three infractions, if I'm late again I'll be fired, so I really don't have all day."

Alice stared at him in confusion for a second as he looked at her expectantly.

"Well…?" He prompted.

"Oh!" Alice exclaimed as realization dawned on her. "You're the flat mate! Or one of them, I suppose. Fabian, is it?"

"Yes, Fabian who will be late if you don't choose," He agreed. "In or out?"

"Out…?" Alice answered unsurely.

"Pity," He said, not looking upset at all. "I was betting on in. You want an umbrella or something? It's raining out."

"No, in," Alice replied, biting her lip.

"Well, which is it?" Fabian inquired expectantly.

"Is he terribly busy?" Alice asked.

"Is who terribly busy?" Fabian replied in confusion.

"Frank," Alice said. "You didn't know why I was here and you were going to let me in?"

"I'm not the responsible one," Fabian defended. "Besides, Frank never has birds over, why would I think you were for him? He's always saying he has some girlfriend or something but, you know, we've never seen her. Gideon and I reckon she's made up."

Alice crossed her arms and raised her eyebrow expectantly. Fabian's eyebrows raised in dawning.

"Are you the girlfriend?" He asked conspiratorially.

"Last I checked," Alice answered.

"Then in, definitely in!" Fabian exclaimed, ushering Alice into the flat.

Alice glanced around, orienting herself as the door closed behind her. It was a small, undecorated place, with a few rooms off of what she assumed was the living area, with adjoined kitchen. In front of her was a couch where another bright red haired boy sat, reading a paper.

"That's cheating," He said without glancing up.

"Game changer," Fabian disagreed. "She's the girlfriend."

The boy, who Alice figured must be Gideon, looked up at once at the mention of girlfriend, eyes widened in surprise.

"I thought you were made up," he said at once, and then, "Sit down!"

Alice hardly had a moment to react as Fabian forced her onto the couch, taking the seat next to her.

"But I'm soaking wet!" She exclaimed. 'I'll ruin the couch!"

"Oh tosh, its Frank's couch, who cares if it gets ruined?" Fabian said waving her off.

"So you're the girlfriend?" Gideon asked.

"And you're in school?" Fabian pressed.

"Well I'm meant to be," Alice answered. "Aren't you going to be late for work?"

"Work? Who cares about that? You're the girlfriend!" Fabian replied dismissively.

"You already have three infractions, you'll be fired if you're late," Alice retorted reproachfully.

"Well I don't have any infractions," Gideon declared, almost importantly, "and he hates his job so bollocks if he gets fired."

"It's true, I do," Fabian agreed. "You're not getting out of this that easily."

"That door closing better have been Fabian going to work!" A voice called through one of the closed doors, as if cued by Fabian's lack of care for his job.

Alice's stomach seemed to take up gymnastics at the sound of Frank's voice after seven months, and she was certain her heart might burst.

"He left!" Gideon called back.

"And so should you," came Frank's reply through the door. "Just because you don't have any infractions yet like your deadbeat brother doesn't mean-."

Frank, not one for yelling through doors, especially when threatening his flat mates into going to work on time, had made his way out of his room and into the living area where he stood, paused midsentence, staring at the couch.

Alice, alternatively, breath caught at the sight of Frank, rumpled and standing so close, still in pajamas as though he hadn't yet fully gotten up. It was almost too much to take.

"I'm not a deadbeat," Fabian whined at once, clearly offended. "Just because you think I've left doesn't mean you can say awful things about me."

"…Alice?" Frank asked in surprise.

"Okay! I lied, Fabian didn't go to work," Gideon exclaimed guiltily. "But in our defense."

Rather than explain further Gideon gestured wildly at Alice, as though Frank had not yet noticed her sitting there.

"It's your girlfriend," Fabian whispered helpfully.

"You're soaked," Frank observed, rather unnecessarily.

"It's raining," Alice replied, also rather unnecessarily.

"Why aren't you in class?" He asked.

"Didn't feel like going," Alice answered with what almost passed for a nonchalant shrug.

Frank and Alice both paused, taking each other in after months of being apart, and Gideon and Fabian took this moment to rather noisily and awkwardly slip off the couch and out the door. Neither Frank nor Alice noticed, however, as they were both experiencing very acute tunnel vision.

"You're going to ruin my couch," Frank informed her.

"That's what I told them," Alice agreed getting up. "But they didn't care because it was your couch."

"My flat mates are tossers," Frank explained.

"I missed you," Alice replied as Frank drew her into a hug, "so much."

"I love you," Frank murmured into her hair, almost without even thinking, "so much."

Alice pulled back, something that was hard to do as she was practically cocooned in Frank, and looked up at him in surprise.

"Wait…" Frank said in surprise himself, as though his brain were only just catching up to the rest of him.

"I love you too," Alice exclaimed, in rebellion against Frank's waiting idea.

Frank looked down at her slightly confused.

"I love you," he repeated, as though checking if that was okay with her.

"I love you too," Alice confirmed as a smile on her face.

"Well that's good," Frank said, the corners of his mouth turning up.

"The best," Alice agreed as Frank leaned down to press his lips against her's.

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**(Review?) Xx**


	8. Tuesday, Again

They forgot on a Tuesday.

It had been nearly a month since Lily and James Potter had died at the hands of Lord Voldemort and the wizarding war had, for all intents and purposes, ended, and Alice and Frank Longbottom were decidedly still in mourning for their lost friends. Ever the dutiful aurors, however, Frank and Alice had not let their grief overwhelm them and had taken on the arduous task of attempting to locate Lord Voldemort who, although officially proclaimed deceased by the Ministry, had disappeared so suspiciously and without a trace that further investigation was in order.

Despite their extraordinary auror skills, indeed Frank and Alice happened to be well above the regular rate of aurors, particularly due to their tireless assistance in the war, neither had been able to even begin to ascertain where Voldemort had gone to. It was beginning to be accepted by the both of them that he had, in fact, simply died without a trace, for no man could disappear so quickly and without even a hint of clue. Not even the recently brought in Death Eaters had had a notion of where the self-proclaimed Dark Lord may have been hiding.

And there in laid the problem.

The particular day in question, Tuesday as it were, found Alice and Frank making breakfast for themselves and one year old son, Neville. Alice sat next to said boy, pouring over maps ridden with marks and pins as Frank prepared a hearty breakfast for the three, it was his turn.

"I'm beginning to think we've searched all of England," Alice commented, running a finger across the island which certainly looked as though it had been thoroughly checked.

"We'll have to join Caradoc and the others on the continent soon," Frank agreed, placing food in from of Alice and then turning to Neville. "Do you want to feed him or should I?"

"He's been doing pretty well himself lately," Alice commented not looking up from the maps. "Just keep and eye on him and help if he starts to get frustrated, yeah?"

"Such a smart little lad," Frank remarked smiling at Neville. "Mum'll be round to pick him up in an hour or so, I don't know what we'll do once we're on the continent without a permanent babysitter…"

"You're mum's been lovely," Alice agreed. "We can't take her with us though and I won't leave Neville behind, even if the department says it's too dangerous, these are the influential years of his life, to leave him parentless, even for a few months, could be damaging."

"We'll work it out," Frank assured, taking a bite out of his own food. "Although it'll be hard considering I'll have enough of a job making sure _you _eat."

"Huh?" Alice asked in surprise, looking up from her work for the first time. "I eat."

Frank looked down at her untouched food with raised eyebrows and then back at her.

"It'll get cold," he prompted.

"I'm _busy_," Alice complained, taking a bite nonetheless.

"You can look at maps and eat at the same time," Frank remarked giving an example as he studied one of them himself.

"I'm rubbish at multitasking," Alice muttered.

"I'm aware," Frank commented. "Which is why I'm revoke you're map privilege until you eat."

Alice's mouth opened and closed for a few seconds like a fish as Frank cleaned up the maps and raised a challenging eyebrow at her breakfast in front of her.

"This is why we haven't found Voldemort yet," Alice informed him accusingly.

"If you don't eat you'll pass out from hunger when we do find him, it's all for the greater good love," Frank teased.

Alice glared at him, begrudgingly starting in on her breakfast. She had, truthfully, not been eating very well with the search for Voldemort, she had always been one to become absorbed in her work to the point that everyday necessities like food and sleep seemed frivolous, and she was, despite herself, rather hungry.

When they had finally finished breakfast, cleaned up Neville who had made quite a mess of himself, and finally handed off their son to his grandmother and current temporary babysitter as Alice and Frank dedicated their time to a cause that was obviously too dangerous to take a baby along to, they started up on their latest lead, which was shaky at best.

Not many of the recently captured Death Eaters were willing to talk out against their leader, and those who were rarely knew anything useful at all. In fact, the closest to Voldemort, the most dangerous, like the Lestrange brothers had seemingly disappeared. Several aurors had been tasked with bringing them in, including the proficient Alastor Moody and Kingsley Shacklebolt, and it was arguable who between the department had gotten the harder job, those trying to find Voldemort or those trying to find the dangerous ex-Death Eaters.

As it was, the point was moot for Frank and Alice, because, after returning from a long day of hunting and, as was typical of those days, finding nothing, they happened to quite accidentally make the biggest discovery in days. Not by a scheme of their own, but rather by that of the Lestranges and their apparent, and unknown, partners in crime, Barty Crouch Jr. and Bellatrix Lestrange, Frank and Alice came face to face with some of the most wanted Death Eaters.

They had come for information, and although none of them got it, it was at great cost to the Longbottoms.

It takes a special sort of person to withstand the Cruciatus Curse, Neville Longbottom would be told time and time again through his childhood, it takes someone with great courage, resilience, someone who knows that the cause that they are protecting is one worth sacrificing for. It takes strength and willpower to withstand even minutes of the heinous spell.

Frank and Alice, however, as Augusta Longbottom would remind her son as they went to visit them in St. Mungo's every week, and then every holiday as Neville went to school, didn't stay strong for mere minutes, they withstood the torture, the mindboggling pain that had driven so many witches and wizards to quit and give up, for hours without letting out a single word. And when they were done, when their brains couldn't stand it anymore, when they had been practically turned to mush, the Death Eaters had been left with nothing.

No clue to their leader's hideout, not even an inkling to the idea that Frank and Alice had been mapping and tracking all possible movements of their renegade group, they had come and left empty handed and the excursion, pointless as it were, had not only cost the Longbottoms their sanity, but it had also cost their attackers their lives.

It didn't take too long, afterwards, for Moody and the rest to capture the Lestranges, and Crouch not much later, and though the Longbottoms would never recover from their permanent insanity they had been given a sort of justice, and above all, they had been made heroes in the wizarding world's eyes.

But most of all, though they would never remember who he was or the importance he or themselves held, they had been made heroes to their son.

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**And we're out. Thanks for reading. (: Reviews appreciated. Xx**


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